Kuala Lumpur Chinatown Shopping

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown

Shopping in Kuala Lumpur Chinatown is a must when visiting this big, bustling city. Spread across several streets including Jalan Petaling, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and Jalan Hang Kasturi, Chinatown’s shopping bargains are deals of a lifetime, especially at the Petaling Street Night Market. What’s more, shopping in Chinatown is not just about buying modern items; a lot of locals visiting the herbal shops are here to purchase traditional medicine.

Without a doubt, Jalan Petaling, or Petaling Street as locals call it, is the most popular. Housed under a green glass roof, which allows the daily market to operate all day, it is crammed with market stalls selling reproduction designer handbags, shoes, apparel and more. Central Market KL is not too far away either and remains a favourite Kuala Lumpur Chinatown shopping spot for its one-of-a-kind local artwork and souvenirs.

Most Popular Shopping

Looking very much like an olden-day Chinese speakeasy, Peter Hoe Beyond is a retail store, boutique and café combo along Jalan Tun HS Lee that is popular for its colourful, intricate housewares, Read More...

More Shopping in Chinatown

Central Market is one of KL’s most familiar landmarks and a popular tourist attraction. Built in 1928, it is a short walk away from Petaling Street, along Jalan Hang Kasturi. Also called Pasar Seni, it used to be a simple wet market but in the early 1980s was revamped into a handicrafts outlet. The focus for the city’s artistic community, inside the building is a warren of boutiques, handicraft and souvenir stalls with traders selling local merchandise such as authentic Malaysian batik prints and more. Central Market is located on the opposite bank of the Dayabumi Complex and is an art-deco style building with local ‘Baroque’ trimmings. Read More...

Kasturi Walk is a covered, open-air flea market set along Jalan Kasturi, a lane running alongside Central Market. Here, you’ll find local snacks and vendors selling fake label handbags, watches, T-shirts, flip flops and more as well as fruit stalls. It is similar to Petaling Street but not as crowded. Right over the front entrance of the tiled walkway is a pewter wau bulan (a type of Malay kite) which looks like a butterfly. Although Kasturi Walk does not have the same extensive range of traders as Petaling Street the goods are reasonably priced plus its convenient location makes a trip here worthwhile. It was established in early 2011, so it all looks fairly new with clean kiosks and stalls. Read More...

Highlights: local snacks and vendors selling fake label handbags, watches, T-shirts, flip flops and more as well as fruit stalls. Read more: Kuala Lumpur Chinatown Shopping - Where to Shop and What to Buy in Chinatown http://www.kuala-lumpur.ws/klareas/chinatown_shopping.htm#ixzz1n5wHrQgM

Opening Hours: 10:00 – 21:30

Location: Kasturi

Kota Raya Shopping Complex

Around the corner from Central Market, just opposite Petaling Street, is the Kota Raya shopping complex. It is perhaps one of the oldest shoppng centres in the city, and although its popularity has been lost to trendier, more contemporary counterparts, it is still visited by those in search of budget buys and bargain items. Having recently gone through a renovation and refurbishment exercise, Kota Raya’s old, run-down exterior has now been replaced by a brightly-coloured one, which can be seen clearly from Petaling Street’s main entrance across the street.

Marked by a huge, green awning sheltering shoppers from rain and daytime heat, Petaling Street is a well-known shopping district in Kuala Lumpur, most popular for budget buys. At night, the whole area transforms into a lively and vibrant night market. The street is practically stocked to the brim with shops and stalls along it offering all kinds of goods at dirt-cheap prices, from fake branded fashion items to delicious hawker food. The best thing is, the prices can be brought lower still as haggling is the way of life here. Read More...

Peter Hoe Beyond is a store along Jalan Tun HS Lee with a lovely collection of homeware, clothes and souvenirs. The 8,600sqft warehouse-sized shop is divided into three colourful sections: a retail store, boutique and café. Fusing Asian and modern style, some of the best things to buy here include colourful, woven rattan baskets and place mats in bold colours and designs as well as flowery shirts, batik print pareos and scarves. Read More...

Opening Hours: 10:00 – 19:00

Address: No. 145, Jalan Tun HS Lee, Kuala Lumpur

Tel: +603 2026 9788

Others:

Aside from Petaling Street market and shopping malls, there are plenty of independent shops dotted all over Chinatown. There are quite a number of wholesalers here, particularly along Jalan Sultan and Jalan Hang Jebat, selling crystals, women’s accessories and even hair-perming tools. Bookstores can also be found here, specialising in Chinese reading materials, namely Shanghai Bookstore, Sin Ya Book Agency and Popular Bookstore, which also sells books in Malay and English. Sun Ya Book Agency also sells an interesting collection of Buddhist relics in all sizes, which can make for excellent souvenirs to take home.

Other noteworthy shops include Borneo Pearls in the Swiss-Inn Hotel, Weaver House Arts & Crafts and Kong Wooi Fong Tea Merchants. Borneo Pearls sells genuine cultured pearl jewellery and fashion accessories, while Weaver House Arts & Crafts is a superb gift shop selling handmade gift items and quality handicrafts at extremely affordable prices. Kong Wooi Fong Tea Merchants is a tea specialty shop selling fine tea leaves and tea-making paraphernalia. Customers can also sample the teas first to help them decide which one to purchase at the fully-furnished tea-tasting area at the back of the shop.

Related Pages

An area of Kuala Lumpur known for its bustle and exotica, Chinatown KL is a well-known bargain hunter’s paradise that seemingly never sleeps, with several exciting retail experiences along its busy, Read More...

Download our free travel guide

Get access to our free travel guides of the best things to do, see and visit, the best restaurants, shops and places to go at night too! All the important basics such weather and travel tips for your first trip are in there.

Print it out to carry around, save it on your phone or use it when you arrive. Just enter your details to get your free PDF Travel Guide and also add you to our free Asia Web Direct Travel Club Newsletter.

Talk to us!

Help us keep this website up-to-date by sending us your comments
or let us know if you wish to advertise on this page.